


Running

by iloveyoursmile



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Meet-Cute, Neighbors, PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-31
Updated: 2016-08-31
Packaged: 2018-08-12 06:13:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7923661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveyoursmile/pseuds/iloveyoursmile
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alec likes to run.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Running

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This was written for SH Summer Fic Exchange :) I hope you like it. There are mentions of war, but it's very brief and nothing major I don't think. There is also PTSD, which is also touched on very briefly.

Alec likes to run. He finds it helps him forget the nightmares that plague him constantly, a nasty symptom of the PTSD he suffers from after two tours in Iraq. Running in the morning helps clear his mind, and lets him forget about the horrible images that like to stick in his mind. He has a schedule, and a set path he takes every morning. Wake up, and go running along the same route every day, then get home and get ready for work, go to work as an actuary, come home, eat dinner, watch some hockey or whatever sport is on, drink a beer, and go to bed. On Fridays he gets together with his siblings and their significant others to eat dinner, and talk. 

Each day was the same, his therapist told him that a steady routine would help with his sleeping, which, with the progression of the nightmares, had been elusive. He found that she was right, and the routine stuck. She also advised him to stay away from anything that could cause a flashback, so anything loud, with flashing lights was out of the questions (not that Alec minded, he had never liked clubs anyway). While he lived in New York City he lived in a more suburban area, mostly tucked away from the lights and loud noises in a nice brownstone that used to be his parents. 

It was September when Alec saw moving vans just down the street on his morning run, and he was so distracted, watching the movers that he didn’t notice somebody in his path, and he smacked right into the man, causing them both to go tumbling to the ground. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going,” he said as he scrambled up and offered a hand to the man, who grabbed it, and gracefully pulled himself to his feet.

“It’s quite alright, are you from around here?” The man asked, and Alec finally looked up at the sound of his voice. The man was beautiful, his eyes were a soft brown color, and his eyelashes were thick and long, full lips, and high cheek bones, Alec couldn’t take his eyes off of him, and he didn’t answer his question for a moment. 

But he snapped back to reality, and stuttered out a “Yes,” his cheeks burning. 

“Lovely, care to tell me your name, darling?” 

“Uh, Alec...Alec Lightwood,” he said, haltingly, “What’s...what’s yours?”

“Magnus Bane,” the man, Magnus, responded, holding out a hand for Alec to shake. Alec shook his hand, and was reluctant to let go, Magnus’ hands were strong and warm in his, and the handshake lasted half a second longer than a perfunctory handshake usually did. 

“Do you always run this early in the morning?” 

Alec blinked, “Oh, yes, same time every morning.”

“Mm, how...convenient,” Magnus said, glancing up and down Alec’s body and Alec frowned at him, confused, but before he could ask Magnus was called away by one of the movers, and had already said a quick goodbye to Alec before he could ask. 

Alec returned to his run, puzzled. The day passed normally enough, and Alec tried not to think about his new neighbor, and how pretty his eyes were, or how nice his hand had felt in Alec’s. (To say it was a fruitless endeavor would be correct, though he would never admit it, Alec could only think about Magnus that day.) 

But despite not being able to stop thinking about Magnus, Alec resolutely didn’t talk to him again besides a nice ‘hello’ each morning when he passed Magnus’ house on his run. Magnus was always outside in the mornings, drinking coffee, or watering his plants, and would always pause to wave and greet Alec on his way by, eyes always trailing him as he ran. Alec didn’t want to admit it, but his crush on Magnus was growing day by day. 

It took two months for them to have another conversation. Alec had woken up early from a nightmare, and the images of blood, smoke, and sand wouldn’t leave. He lays there for a minute, trying to go back to sleep, but the dream won’t leave his mind, all he can focus on is blood. Giving going back to sleep up as a bad job, Alec threw the covers off and stood. He needed to run, he hurryed into his running gear and jogged out of the house. 

He knew it wasn’t smart to run on an empty stomach, but…he couldn’t stop, he needed to run, run from the dreams, run from his thoughts, run from his past. So he ran, and he didn’t stop, he was dripping sweat, and panting, but he didn’t stop. He only starts to circle back when it’s clear he needs to be heading home for work. 

When he reaches his street his legs are screaming at him almost as loudly as his lungs, and sweat is pouring like rain of him. He stumbles to a halt against a tree trunk, trying to catch his breath. 

“Alec?” a voice calls, and he turns his head to see Magnus walking down his porch steps towards Alec. 

“Are you okay?” Magnus asks, coming even closer to Alec, and gripping his elbow. 

Taking a deep breath, Alec nods, “Yeah, just...pushed it...a little harder than usual.”

Magnus’ face was pinched with worry, and he moved his other hand to Alec’s back and started to guide Alec towards his house, “Come on, I’ll get you some water.”

For once Alec didn’t protest, he  _ was _ parched. Magnus led Alec into his house, and into the kitchen, where he got him a glass of water, and made him sit down. 

“Do you want to tell me why you pushed yourself too far?” Magnus asked gently, sitting down next to Alec at the counter. 

After a seconds thought, (and a few gulps of water) Alec found that he did want to tell Magnus, and that in itself was unusual, he usually never wanted to talk about his nightmares with anybody except his therapist. But Magnus had the same kind of...reassurance that his therapist had. It made Alec feel safe telling him about his time in Iraq, and the dreams and flashbacks that followed. 

Magnus listened, and when Alec finished he placed a hand over Alec’s on the counter, “Thank you for telling me that, I know that took a lot of courage. And...I’m sure people say it all the time, but what you did was very brave.” 

Alec shrugged and didn’t say anything, sipping his water more calmly now. The two sat in silence for a few more minutes before Alec had to leave to get ready for work. 

After that day Magnus and Alec started to hang out, just after Alec’s runs, but still, after a long run Alec shower get dressed and head over to Magnus’ for coffee and breakfast. It was a pleasant change to Alec’s routine, he enjoyed Magnus’ company immensely, and he found himself falling more and more in love with Magnus as the weeks wore on. 

It took Alec three months to gather up the courage to ask Magnus out. Three months of getting to know Magnus, how he loved the smell after it just rained, how he loved creating different types of clothing, and the freedom it gave him, learning about how Magnus hated sci-fi, and didn’t like to swim. 

It was one of their mornings, Alec had just finished a piece of toast, and his hands were shaking. 

“Uh...Magnus, I wanted to ask you something?” He started uncertainly. 

“Yes, dear?”

“Would...would you like to go on a date with me?” Alec asked hurriedly. 

Magnus turned, and blinked at him, clearly a little surprise, and Alec started to back track. 

“I-I mean, it’s totally fine if you don’t, I wish you would, but that doesn’t matter if you don’t want to go...I’d be totally okay with it--”

“Alexander,” Magnus cut him off, and circled around the island to stand next to Alec, “Of course I want to go on a date with you. I like you.”

Alec’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, “Wait really?”

Magnus laughed, “Alexander, why do you think I was always up watering my plants when you started your run?”

Alec frowned, “I...I don’t know?”

“Because I wanted to see you, silly! Honestly I should thank you, without you my landscaping would be abysmal.”

Alec blushed, “So...Saturday?”

“Saturday.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed that! Thank you so much for reading, comments and kudos are always 100% appriciated, I have more works if you want to check out my page, and I also have some other works in the works right now (swim au is coming slowly, but surely) so if you want to keep updated on that come follow me on tumblr, @ lolguess. Woo! That's all for now! <3


End file.
